The Love Of The Game
by Ghostwriter
Summary: When Team USA comes to SJS High looking to recruit, Casey finds herself facing her past.
1. Old Memories

THE LOVE OF THE GAME

DISCLAIMER

Just an idea I had of a slightly more athletically inclined Casey. Everything about the series is the same, except the new stuff about Casey that you'll learn in the story. I'm not sure if Casey ended up quitting the cheerleading team, but for this story, she's still a cheerleader. Mighty Ducks belongs to Disney, Life With Derek belongs to Canadian Television. For this story, some of the Ducks have actually joined the Anaheim Ducks. Bold/Italics is a memory. Takes place after "Allergy Season". Belongs to Canadian Television.

Casey MacDonald moaned in annoyance as the sounds of a hockey game blared from the t.v. downstairs.

"Der---ek!" she whined, holding her pillow over head.

_**"Move your tail, MacDonald!" a voice called.**_

"Oh, all right, Coach," Casey grumbled. She climbed out bed, got dressed, and then went down stairs.

"COME ON, 99! GO!" Derek shouted. _99? Isn't that_---Casey's thought faltered as she peeked around the corner. Sure enough, number 99 on the Anaheim Duck team was Adam Banks. Though he generally rooted for Canadian teams, Casey had discovered that Derek had a fondness for the Anaheim Ducks. _Come on, Coach. You can do it_, she thought to herself. She watched as the man skated towards the goal, feinted, and then scored.

"YEAH! DEKED THEM OUTTA THEIR SOCKS!" Derek cheered. Casey chuckled softly so that her stepbrother couldn't hear her. _That's our Ducks_, she thought to herself. She continued on her way to the kitchen, trying to ignore the game. She didn't need any of this. The game continued as she got her breakfast, noting the note on the refrigerator about their parents and siblings being out. Then, she took her breakfast and headed for her room, and shut the door. She didn't need to hear the game. Coach Banks and the others were great players, so she wouldn't be surprised if the Ducks won. She angrily ate her breakfast, trying to ignore the faint noises of the game. She didn't need the memories. She was finally happy with her life now. She didn't need to be pulled down. Unaware that he had had a brief audience; Derek remained focus on the Duck-Maple Leaf Game. He was usually a Maple Leaf fan, but he had to admit, the Ducks were a great team. He cheered as Adam Banks scored another goal. They were only in the first quarter, but it was shaping up to be quite a game. Back in her room, Casey heard Derek cheering and figured someone must've made another goal. She smiled softly, and then refocused her attention on her food. When she was done, she took her bowl downstairs, put it in the sink, and washed it. She heard Derek cheer again and Casey dropped the bowl. As her stepbrother continued to celebrate, Casey gripped the sides of the sink. _Get it together, Case. Just pull it together_, she thought to herself. She inhaled and exhaled shakily.

_**"Casey! Casey! Casey! Casey! Casey!" the crowd chanted.**_ Casey grunted. Then, she reached into the sink, grabbed the bowl she had just washed and threw it against the wall with a shout of anger. She gasped, grabbed the sink again, and cried.


	2. Strange Behavior

DISCLAIMER

I don't own Life With Derek which belongs to Canadian Television or the Mighty Ducks which belongs to Disney. I only own the plot.

In the living room, Derek jumped, hearing the smash.

"What the heck?" he asked in surprise. It sounded like something had been thrown. He got up and walked towards the kitchen, where to his surprise, Casey was standing at the sink, crying.

"What's wrong with **you**?" Derek questioned. She jumped and wiped her eyes with a sleeve.

"Nothing. I'm fine," Casey lied.

"Have you been crying?" Derek questioned.

"It's nothing, Derek. Just leave it alone," Casey responded harshly. Then, she pushed past him and stomped upstairs.

"Women!" Derek huffed. He went back to the game on the television. Casey shut her door and turned on her stereo, blocking out the sound of the game with a rock song. She didn't need the memories. She was happy now. The girl began dancing to the music, letting it drown out the sounds of the game. Back in the living room, Derek glanced towards the stairs as he heard music coming from Casey's room. _What's up with __**her**__?_ he wondered. This wasn't the first time he had noticed her acting strangely when it came to hockey. Sure, she had seemed cool with the sport when dating Sam, but it had soon became clear that for some reason, the subject was a touchy one with her. When the game was finally over with the result of the Ducks winning, Derek whooped wildly.

"YEAH! ALL RIGHT!" he shouted triumphantly, Casey's strange behavior pretty much forgotten. Hearing Derek's cheers, Casey couldn't help a small smile. She remembered getting that excited. The rush of the play, the feeling one got when you scored the winning goal…her smile fell. She'd never have that again. With a flick of her wrist, she turned the radio up even more, letting the rock blast through the room. Recognizing the Metallica song, Casey began singing along. From downstairs, Derek heard the music and after turning off the t.v., he went back upstairs. _What is she doing?_ he wondered. For that matter, what was she listening to? He headed for her room and listened as she sang.

"Exit light, enter night; take my hand off to Never-Neverland." Derek's brows furrowed. _Since when does she listen to Metallica?_ He wondered. He opened the door to see her dancing along energetically. Suddenly, he saw her double over, grabbing her right knee.

"Casey?" he asked. She cried out in pain and he ran to her. "Casey, what is it? Where does it hurt?" he questioned.

"Get away from me!" she snapped, pushing her away.

"Casey, I'm just trying to help," he told her.

"It's nothing. It's my fault. I overexerted my knee. I just need an icepack," she retorted, straightening up. She pushed past him, hobbled downstairs, and went to the fridge where she found an icepack and strapped it to her knee. Then, she went back upstairs.

"Casey, not that I care or anything, but if you're hurt, maybe you should tell Dad and Nora," he suggested.

"Get out of my room, Derek," she snapped, pushing him out before he could protest. Then, she slammed the door shut and locked it. She stood in front of her door and inhaled sharply.

"Work through it, MacDonald. Work through it," she coached herself. She sat on the bed. Then, she sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.


	3. Big News

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

MayMarie: Oh, cool. Yeah, I get the same way. Thanks, I will.

Myrle 16: Okay, make longer chaps. Got it. Hope you stick around.

DISCLAIMER

The Mighty Ducks belongs to Disney. Life With Derek belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. One character in the story is based off of Lucas Scott of One Tree Hill and uses the first name and his mother's maiden name, as well as a couple of nicknames plus my own. This belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot.

Meanwhile, Charlie Conway and Adam Banks sat a table, looking over some papers.

"This is bad, Charlie. I mean it's halfway through our season. Who are we going to find that can fill in McGregor's position?" Adam wondered.

"I don't know, man. And he totally hates that he puts us in a bind," Charlie stated.

"The dude got hurt. It's not his fault," Adam reminded.

"Yeah, I know. I think what bugs him the most is that he won't be able to make the trip to Ontario," Charlie commented. Adam laughed. The next day, Charlie and Adam's team, the Tigers, were on a plane on the way to London, Ontario.

"So, Coach C. Do you know of anyone who can take over Billy's spot?" their defenseman, Lucas Roe, questioned, tapping Charlie on the shoulder.

"We're still stuck, Luke," the man responded.

"This stinks," the boy complained, flouncing in his seat. Hours later, they arrived in London, Ontario, and checked into their hotel.

"All right boys and girls, you have your room assignments. Get a good night's rest. We have practice and sight seeing tomorrow," Charlie stated, handing out sheets of paper. The kids groaned, but did as they were told. The next morning at Sir John Sparrow High, Casey and Emily noticed that the guys---especially the hockey players---were buzzing with excitement.

"What's all the fuss?" Casey wondered.

"You got me," her best friend, Emily Davids answered. Seeing Sam Chambers, Casey quickly grabbed his arm.

"What's going on?" she wondered.

"Oh, man! It's all over the papers! Coach Adam Banks and Coach Charlie Conway are comin' here to find an extra person in the roster for playoffs," Sam said excitedly.

"I just can't believe this team actually lets girls play," another member of the hockey team sneered, overhearing the remark. Casey felt her face grow pale.

"Wh---what? Here? They're coming here?" she asked.

"Are---you okay?" her ex-boyfriend asked.

"I---I'm fine," she stammered. Then, without another word, she took.

"Wha---?"

"I---I don't know." Emily took off after Casey.

"Hey, what's wrong?" she asked.

"I just---it's nothing. You wouldn't understand." Casey bit her lip nervously. _I hate this! I'd probably be on that team if it hadn't been stolen from me_, she thought to herself. Emily looked at Casey in confusion. _What's wrong with her?_ she wondered. "Listen, uh---I gotta bail," Casey stammered, and then hurried away.

"Wha---uh, Casey!" Emily once again took off after her. _What is she doing?_ she wondered. Casey headed for the entrance to be cut off by Derek.

"Whoa. Where you going?" he questioned sneeringly.

"I gotta out of here," she answered.

"You're gonna ditch?" he questioned in surprise. "Are you feeling okay?" he continued, putting a hand on her forehead.

"I---I just need some alone time," she told him, jerking away. Then, she took off. For a moment, Derek stared. Then, he quickly hurried after her.

"Where are you gonna go?" he questioned.

"None of your business," she said, heading for the car.

"Well, I can't let you go alone," he stated.

"Sure you can," she replied.

"If you go, I'll tell Dad and Nora," he threatened. She sighed.

"Fine. Just---you can't tell anyone where I want to go," she agreed.

"Deal." They continued towards the car and got in. Casey put they key in the ignition and took off. As they drove down the road, Derek shook his head. This couldn't be happening. Little Miss Perfect was actually skipping school. Presently, Derek took notice of the direction they were headed.

"This is where the ice rink is."

"Yep." When they finally got to their destination, Casey parked the car and the two went in. He followed her to where the ice was. She gazed at it and sighed.

"It's amazing out there. I mean, there's nothing like that third period, when you're tied up and there's like---what, thirty seconds on the clock?" she reminisced fondly.

"You played?" Derek asked in surprise.

"A long time ago," Casey answered. _**After the shot went in, Casey raised her hands in victory.**_

"Are you okay?" Derek asked.

"I'm fine. It's just---" Casey's voice trailed off.

"What? What is it?" Derek wondered. She ignored him and headed for the group in hockey uniforms, Derek at her heels. In front of the group, two boys---one with jet-black hair and one with blond with streaks of brown in his hair---were chattering. Then, they caught sight of the two and their conversation died.

"Oh," someone said.

"Casey," the blonde-haired boy stated in surprise. For a moment, the girl stared at him.

"Casey, you know this guy?" Derek wondered.

"Lucas," Casey said.


	4. Tense Meeting

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Rose Lily Potter: Thanks. Here you go.

Thugalet: Thanks. Here you go.

DISCLAIMER

Mighty Ducks belongs to Disney. Life With Derek belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. One character and a couple of nicknames based off of One Tree Hill which belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

"What are you doing here?" Lucas questioned.

"Hey, you know me---I'm playing hooky," Casey answered. Lucas laughed softly.

"Well, I never thought I'd see the day," he commented. "You're such a straight-arrow," he continued.

"And you're an irresponsible player," she shot back playfully.

"We'll leave you two alone," the boy Lucas had been talking to stated. "Come on, guys. Let's check out the ice," he continued. With that, everyone---except Derek---started to leave as Casey and Lucas headed for a table. Derek started to follow the two, but was quickly dragged away.

"So, you're lookin' good," Lucas commented.

"Yeah, you too," Casey agreed.

"How's the knee?" Lucas wondered.

"Fine. I overexerted it the other day, but…" she trailed off.

"I got twenty bucks that says they resolve everything and start making out," a boy announced.

"No way. They've got too many issues to just dive right back in," the girl beside them disagreed.

"What are you guys talking about?" Derek wondered.

"Casey and Lucas used to date. It was like this whole epic romance," the girl answered.

"They were the perfect couple. No one could believe it when they broke up," the guy added.

"Wait a minute. My stepsister and **that** guy?" Derek asked in disbelief. _What are these guys on?_ he wondered to himself.

"Yep. Like I said, their romance was epic," the girl responded.

"You mean **Casey** thought it was epic and he told her to get a life. That it was just a fling," he jeered. _Really. Who do these guys think they're fooling?_ he thought to himself. To his surprise, he was met with several glares.

"Hey, watch your mouth," the boy retorted.

"You don't know a thing about Casey and Luke," the girl added. _Geez. What's their problem_? Derek thought.

"Maybe not, but there's no way my dork of a stepsister could even **hope** to land someone as cool as Lucas Roe," he stated.

"Has it ever occurred to you that what you see is just an act?" the other boy asked.

"Please. Casey is just a loser drama queen who needs a life," Derek scoffed. _ Like Casey would ever date a well-known hockey player. She should be so lucky_, he thought to himself.

"Well, maybe you don't know her as well as you think you do," the boy told him. They turned to watch Casey and Lucas talking.

"By the way, I'm Derek," the boy stated.

"Like I care?" the boy asked.

"You should. I'm gonna be in the NHL someday," Derek told him. The girl scoffed.

"Everyone's a dreamer," she commented. They watched as Lucas said something to Casey and she responded hotly. He reached over to touch her hand, but she quickly pulled away.

"Aw Case, come on!" they heard him exclaim.

"Just leave me alone, Luke! Nothing's changed! The situation is still the same!" Casey snapped. Then, she stomped back over to where Derek and the others were standing.

"Take me home, Derek. Now," she demanded.

"Yeah, sure," he agreed in surprise.

"Guys, it was good to see you again," she told the others. Then, she and Derek started out.

"Casey, will please talk to me?" Lucas pleaded, grabbing her arm.

"I have nothing left to say to you, Lucas. We're still over," Casey retorted, jerking out of his grasp. Then, she and her stepbrother headed out.


	5. High Emotions

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Kbw121691: Thanks. Here's more.

Myrle 16: As I told you in the pm I sent you, Lucas is part of Team USA which is co-coached by Charlie Conway and Adam Banks. Thanks.

My Shangri-la: Lol. Hope this is soon enough. Thanks.

Thugalet: Lol. Hope this is soon enough.

DISCLAIMER

Life With Derek belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. The Mighty Ducks belongs to Disney. One character and some nicknames based off of One Tree Hill which belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. I'm going with the idea that though Derek was following Lucas' career, he's just recently gotten into following the junior games which is why he's not as familiar with Greg and Holly as he is with Lucas.

"So, I guess you wanna get back to school," Derek said when they were in the car.

"No. I told you take me home, Derek. And I meant it," Casey responded.

"Casey---"

"Just do it." With a sigh, and a confused look at his stepsister, Derek did as he was told. Once they were back at home, Casey just went upstairs to her room and slammed the door shut. A few seconds later, loud music was heard blaring from her stereo. Then, she let herself get lost in the music. In his room, Derek spun around, trying to figure out what had just happened. Casey wasn't acting like herself. _Aw, whatever. I don't care_, he thought to himself and finally turned on his own music. Later that day, George and Nora came home.

"Casey! Derek! Get down here, now!" George shouted. Within moments, the two were downstairs.

"Okay, first of all, let me say: it was **her** idea," Derek said quickly. Their parents fixed him with a glare.

"What's the big deal? So we ditched," Casey shrugged.

"Casey, this is a very serious. I'm surprised at you," George said.

"Serious? We ditched one time," Casey scoffed.

"Casey, this isn't like you," George continued.

"Oh, how would **you** know? You're just my stepfather,"

"Cassandra Elaine MacDonald, go to your room. You're grounded," Nora snapped.

"Whatever. This is so lame," Casey huffed. Then, she went back upstairs. Meanwhile, at their hotel, Lucas was busy trying to track down Casey on a computer.

"Lucas…what are you doing?" one of his friends, Greg Knox, asked as he and another of their friends, Holly Bride, walked up.

"Working on the computer," Lucas answered.

"Are you cyber-stalking Casey again?" Holly asked.

"I am **not** cyber-stalking her," Lucas protested. "I'm just---looking after her."

"Lucas---"

"Hey! For a long time, we were "Boyfriend and Pretty Girl" and "Girlfriend and Hot Boy"! I can't just give that up! I love Casey. I miss her." Then, "Hey! I found the house! Computer Wizard strikes again!" Holly and Greg rolled their eyes.

"So, what? You're gonna just show up at her house?" Holly queried.

"Yeah. She's always loved my spontaneity," Lucas grinned. Then, he took off.

"Oh, boy," Greg and Holly chorused.

"This is not going to end well, is it?" Greg wondered.

"Probably not," Holly answered. Taking his car, Lucas looked at the Map Quest directions and followed them until he reached his destination. When he got there, he stopped the engine and put the car into park. Then, he walked up to the door and knocked. He waited for a few minutes before the door was opened to reveal a boy about his age.

"Whoa. Dude, what are you doing here?" the boy asked excitedly.

"I take it you follow my career?" Lucas asked in amusement.

"Yeah, you're so good," the boy answered. Then, "Oh, sorry. Come on in." Lucas walked in. "I'm Derek, by the way," he told him.

"Nice to meet you. Is Casey here?" Lucas responded.

"What do you want to see **her** for?" Derek sneered.

"None of your business. Now is she here?" Lucas responded.

"Yeah, she's in her room. But she's grounded. So, you won't be able to see her," Derek told him. _What is his fascination with Casey?_ he wondered. Yeah, that guy and girl had said that they had dated, but surely he wasn't really all that into her. After all, they **had** broken up. Just then, Nora came into the room.

"Lucas," she said.

"Hey, Nora. I---I know Casey's grounded, but can I---" he began to ask.

"Yeah, go ahead. Her mood can't get any worse," the woman told him. She then gave him the directions to her daughter's room. He went up the stairs and to the room, without knocking.

"Don't you remember how to knock?" Casey spat out.

"Could we please talk?" Lucas requested.

"Talk about what? I told you, Lucas: it's over," Casey insisted.

"Why? Why are you the only one who has a say in this? You think what happened didn't affect me?" Lucas questioned, his anger rising.

"You don't need me, Lucas! You're still whole!" she told him.

"Oh, and you're not?" he queried.

"You know I'm not," she answered. "Everything changed! I can't even play anymore!" Lucas sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Case…just because you can't play hockey anymore, doesn't mean you're damaged," he reminded her.

"Well, that's what it feels like! I was good, Lucas! I was **dang** good, and then I had it stolen from me!" Lucas reached out to comfort her, but she began hitting him. Lucas didn't stop her, but instead let her beat on his chest.

"I gotcha. It's okay, Pretty Girl. I gotcha," he whispered, putting his arms around her.

"It's not fair! It's not fair! It's not fair!"

"I know. I know."

"I was good! I was good! I…was…**good**!"

"It's okay, Pretty Girl. Just let it out. I gotcha." Lucas just continued to hold Casey as she cried.


	6. Make Up And Discoveries

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Thugalet: Well, the past five chapters had already been completed so they were fairly quick to update. However, updates may be a bit slower since I have to write further chaps.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

When Casey was all cried out, she sniffled and looked up.

"Look at me. I'm acting like such a girl," she said, choking back a sob.

"No, you're not. You're just finally dealing with the fact that you had hockey stolen away from you," he told her.

"I'm sorry I pushed you away. I just felt so broken and weak. Hockey was a big part of me. And when I lost it---" her voice trailed off.

"I understand, Pretty Girl," he said.

"'Pretty Girl'. I've missed hearing you call me that," she whispered. He let his fingers get tangled up into her hair and inhaled.

"Strawberries?" he queried.

"Yeah," she confirmed. Meanwhile, Derek who had been flipping through the channels as Lucas and Casey talked upstairs, found himself curious when he heard their voices become louder. So, he did what he usually did: he went upstairs to eavesdrop. What he heard made his jaw drop in shock. Casey had played hockey? _No way_, he thought to himself. It wasn't possible. She had barely been able to dance the other day. How in the world could she have played hockey?

"I'm so sorry, Lucas. I was scared and confused, and it had just gotten stolen and---" he heard her start to apologize.

"Ssssshhhh, ssssshhhhh, sssssshhhhhh. It's okay," he heard Lucas interrupt.

"It's not okay. I hurt you so badly."

"Hey. It's okay, Girlfriend. I'm still here." She sighed. _How can he call me that? I don't deserve it_, she thought.

"Thank you. But you know I'm grounded and---"

"Yeah, you ran your mouth again, didn't you?"

"Well, you always said it would get me into trouble." The door opened and Derek quickly made himself scarce. There was no need to get caught. Lucas walked back downstairs.

"Nora, it was good to see you again, hopefully, I can come over again soon," he said.

"Bye, Lucas," Nora acknowledged and he walked out. Soon after, Casey came down and went into the kitchen where George was getting himself a snack.

"George, I just want to apologize. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. I know I hurt your feelings and I'm really sorry," she apologized.

"Thank you for the apology. We'll just chalk it up to you having a bad day," he said. The girl nodded and walked out. Later that night, Casey snuck downstairs, grabbed one of her mother's home movies, put it into the VCR, pressed play, and then made herself comfortable as a hockey game started. Soon, she got lost in the old memories. There was cheering from the stands and she grinned softly. _This was a great game. Lucas and I really flew_, she thought to herself. She watched as the younger version of herself skated across the ice. Hearing the sounds of the television, Derek got out of bed and headed downstairs. _What? She's watching hockey?_ he thought in surprise, seeing what was on the t.v. A familiar laugh reached his ears. _What the---?_ he wondered. He stepped closer as the player lifted their helmet. Then, his jaw dropped. _Whoa. No way_, he thought.

"She really **did** play hockey," he whispered.


	7. Loopy Behavior

SHOUTOUTS/ANSWERS

Thugalet: Thanks. Here you go.

Kbw121691: Thanks. Hope this is soon enough.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. I only own the plot.

The next morning, Derek couldn't get what he had seen the previous night out of his head. _So Casey played hockey_, he thought. So, what had happened? He had heard her talking with Lucas and it was obvious something had happened that had caused her to stop playing. But what? With a sigh, he headed downstairs. He didn't know what to think. If Casey had played hockey before and had been good, what had made her stop? He couldn't even imagine not playing, so what had happened to her? In the kitchen, Casey was making breakfast and dancing slightly to the music that was playing.

"Hey, what's up?" a voice asked her. She turned around to see Marti.

"Nothing much. Just making breakfast," she answered.

"Cool!" she said.

"Oh, and what are you making this time, Spacey?"

"Oh, bite me." Derek's jaw dropped at the un-Casey-like response.

"Hey, it smells good in here," a voice noted.

"Well, it's almost done, so sit down and I'll serve you guys shortly," Casey said. The others did so, and promised, they got their food shortly. After breakfast, they gathered up their things and went to school. During classes, Emily noticed that Casey wasn't quite acting like herself.

"Okay, Casey, spill. What is going on with you?" she demanded during lunch.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the other girl said.

"You've been totally spaced out today, and I didn't even see you taking notes during class," Emily said.

"I guess I'm just a little distracted," Casey allowed.

"So, tell me, who's the guy?" Emily wondered.

"Lucas," Casey answered.

"Isn't he one of the guys on that team that's come here?" Emily asked.

"Team USA," Casey supplied. "And yes, he is," she confirmed. Then, she laughed softly and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and Emily stared at her in surprise. _Wow. I've never seen Casey act like this before, not even with Max or Sam_, she thought. After lunch, they went to their next class, where Casey kept up her strange behavior. What no one at SJS knew was that on Team USA, Lucas was acting the same way.

"Luke! What is going on with you?" Charlie questioned.

"Sorry, Coach C. Casey and I talked last night and---I don't know---all of my old feelings cropped up," Lucas responded. Charlie rolled his eyes. "Sorry, Coach. I'll try to keep my head in the game."

"That's all I ask." Lucas went back out on the ice as Adam walked up to Charlie.

"So, what's up with him?"

"Apparently he and Casey had a talk."

"Well, it's about time." Charlie nodded. They knew that what had happened to Casey had hit both of the teens hard…especially when Casey had pushed Lucas away, even going as far as to break up with him. After the practice, the kids were dismissed.

"Don't forget to do your homework!" Charlie shouted after them.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," came the response. Adam laughed. _Oh, those crazy kids_, he thought. At the end of the school day, Derek and Sam went to their hockey practice. Presently, Casey and Emily walked in.

"Wow. Derek's looking really good," Emily noted. Casey rolled her eyes.

"Oh, brother," she muttered. Then, she noticed a trio coming in. "Luke!" she called. The boy grinned.

"Hey, Pretty Girl," he greeted.

"Here for a little recon?" she asked. Then, "Hey, Coach C, Coach B."

"Hey, Case," Adam and Charlie chorused.

"And yes, we're here for recon," Luke answered. "And I wanted to see you," he added.

"I shouldn't have pushed you away. I'm so sorry. Can we start over?" she asked.

"No," he answered. Her face fell. "We can just pick up where we left off," he added. With a small exclamation, she smacked him in the chest.

"Two minutes, intent to injure," he laughed. She wrinkled her nose at him. She didn't see how they could realistically just pick up from their break up, but who was she to look a gift horse in the mouth?

"So, who's the hot shot on this team?" Adam asked.

"Well, the best players are Sam Chambers and my stepbrother, Derek Venturi. Derek's grades are a bit iffy though," Casey told them.

"Hmm," the coaches said together. That was something to think about. As they were playing, Sam and Derek became aware of the newcomers.

"Whoa! Dude! It's Adam Banks and Charlie Conway!" Sam excitedly whispered to Derek.

"Oh, man. This is so cool!" Derek said in the same tone. Then, noticing his stepsister near them, "What's **she** doin' with them?" Sam followed his friend's gaze to see Casey talking with the group. The boy with the two coaches said something and she threw her head back in laughter. When practice was finally over, the team ran up to the two coaches.

"Whoa!"

"This is so cool!"

"I can't believe you're actually here!" Adam and Charlie each shook their heads.

"They remind you of anyone at that age?" Adam muttered.

"You guys were good," Lucas told them.

"It's gonna be hard choosing," Charlie said.

"Well, I'm totally dedicated to hockey," Derek said.

"How are your grades?" Charlie asked.

"Well…they're not the best," Derek admitted.

"Well, we'll have to review everyone before making a decision," Adam said. "Um, if we could talk to your coach?" he requested.

"Of course. Come into my office," the man said. The three walked out as the team headed for the locker room.

"So, what's there to do for fun around here?" Lucas wondered.

"Oh, I'll show you! Come on!" Before Lucas could even respond, Casey had grabbed his arm and started off, Emily close behind, laughing.


	8. Catch Up And Decisions

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Myrle 16: Thanks. I understand, I'm fond of them myself. I'm glad you're able to enjoy it regardless.

Thugalet: Glad I could help. Okey-dokey.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. I only own the plot.

Minutes later, Casey and Emily were showing Lucas around town. They pointed out an ice cream shop, a couple of sports stores, a gas station, and some banks, among other things.

"Wow. It's pretty cool," Lucas noted.

"Oh, I don't know. They don't have a local ice rink," Casey said.

"Well, that's lame," Lucas commented.

"Exactly," Casey stated. Emily looked at them.

"What do you care about an ice rink for, Case? I've never even see you skate," she said in confusion.

"Doesn't mean I don't do it," came the response. Emily fell silent. She supposed that was true. After they had seen everything, they headed back.

"So, uh---" Lucas started to say.

"Emily," Emily supplied.

"Emily," Lucas repeated. "How'd you and Casey meet?"

"We met on her first day of school after her mom got married to Derek's dad," Emily answered.

"He seems to be pretty dedicated to hockey," Lucas said casually. Casey kept quiet, recognizing that Lucas was doing his own recon of Derek.

"Oh, he is. It's like---his whole life," Emily replied. Casey looked at Lucas. _I know how that feels_, she thought. As if he could read what she was thinking, the boy grabbed her wrist and rubbed it sympathetically. Meanwhile, Adam and Charlie were talking to Coach Greg Walters about Sam and Derek, as well as other members of the team.

"Sam's a good player and he has the good grades, but Derek wants it more, even though his grades go up and down, and…" Charlie and Adam listened Coach Walters verbally reviewed the team as they perused game stills and tapes. The two co-coaches looked at each other. What they were hearing was interesting, and it gave them a lot to consider.

"Okay, here's the big question: if you were in charge of the Junior Good Will Games and could only pick one player to join, who would it be?" Adam asked.

"Oh, that's easy. I'd pick him," Coach Walters replied, pointing to a picture.

"Do you have his address?" Charlie questioned. The man wrote it on a piece of paper and handed it to him.

"Okay, then. Thank you," Adam said, and the two walked out. Back in town, Emily followed Casey and Lucas who had begun to reminisce about old times.

"Hey, you remember when both Coach B and C got sick and we had that sub?" Lucas asked.

"Yes! I also remember you convincing him that lobster and ice cream were part of the team's diet," Casey recalled. They laughed.

"But that doesn't compare to the Zamboni machine stunt you pulled!" he stated. They laughed harder.

"The look on his face! I thought he was gonna croak!" Casey chuckled.

"He nearly did, remember? He started yelling and everything!"

"Oh, yeah! That's right! His face had started to turn this weird shade of purple and he started gasping and we were all sure he was just gonna keel over and then Leslie somehow tripped over her own feet and fell on her butt, and he started laughing!" Emily stared at the two in confusion. What was going on? Casey and Lucas were talking as if they had been on the team together, but Casey didn't play hockey…or any sport for that matter.

"Heck, **she** started laughing!"

"Yeah, she was such a klutz!" This went on for several minutes, mentioning various other pranks and shenanigans, and Emily found herself feeling left out. The way the two talked was almost like the two of them. Presently, Casey became aware of how quiet her friend was being.

"Oh, my gosh! I'm sorry, Emily! I didn't mean to leave you out!" she exclaimed.

"That's okay. You were catching up with an old friend," Emily responded. Then, "But I have to say, I've never seen you so excited about hockey…not even when you were dating Sam."

"You dated another hockey player?" Lucas asked, feeling hurt. _She broke up with me because she couldn't play hockey anymore and then she turns around and dates someone else who plays hockey?_ he wondered.

"Yeah, I thought enough time had passed where I could handle being around hockey again, and I could, but it wasn't the same. I mean, he was a boyfriend, but he wasn't…**Boyfriend**," she responded. Lucas nodded.

"I guess that makes sense. I had girlfriends, but they weren't…**Girlfriend**," he said. Emily's brow furrowed. What were they talking about? Why were they stressing those particular words? Then, Lucas changed the subject.

"Is this the whole town?" he asked.

"Pretty much," Casey responded. Then, "You're bored, aren't you?"

"Just a little." With that, the three headed back to Casey's house.

"Hey, whose car is that?" Emily wondered, seeing a sedan.

"That's Coach Banks' car," Casey said in surprise.

"Huh. Must've made his decision," Lucas noted.

"Yeah, I guess," Casey said. They walked in to see Derek beaming radiantly.

"Congratulations, Derek. Being on Team USA is a great honor," Casey said through gritted teeth. Then, she ran upstairs.

"What---" Emily began to ask.

"I got her," Lucas answered, and then followed her. Upstairs, Casey paced in the halls. _It's not fair! He always gets everything! __**I**__ should be on that team!_ she thought angrily.

"Casey," she heard Lucas say softly. Then, with a cry of anger, she punched the wall with her fist. Then, she began to cry. Lucas came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.


	9. What Happened Back Then

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Myrle 16: Glad you think so. Thanks. Here you go. Well, I thought it'd cool. Yes, I suppose it is.

Thugalet: Yep. Thanks, here you go.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. I only own the plot. Reference to D2: The Mighty Ducks.

Hearing the soft thud, the MacDonald/Venturi family jumped.

"What on earth?" Derek wondered as Adam Banks came out.

"What happened?" he wondered.

"I don't know. Spacey's just acting weird again," Derek answered.

"Don't call her that," Adam instructed. Then, he headed upstairs. As he did so, he saw Casey throw Lucas off and started punching the wall again.

"Uh-oh," Adam muttered and hurried his pace. Lucas tried to stop Casey, but she just pushed him away as she continued the actions.

"Stop it, Casey!" Adam called. However, she ignored him and just kept striking the wall. "Casey, Casey, come on!" he exclaimed, reaching for her.

"It's not fair! He gets everything handed to him! I trained hard and I got it stolen! He plays for a high school team and it lands in his lap!" she screamed as she started hitting him.

"Hey, I trained hard," Derek muttered, but he was ignored.

"It's not fair! I was good! You know I was! I worked my whole life for this!" she continued.

"I know," Adam said softly. "I know it's hard when it seems like your whole life is over," he told her. "Obviously, the incident with my wrist was different, but at the time, I thought my world had ended."

"But at least you got it back."

"Yes, I did."

"I can never have it back, Coach. My knee is too bad. And it's not fair."

"No, it's not." Hearing the conversation from downstairs, Lizzie bit her lip and Nora ran her fingers through her hair while, the Venturis and Emily looked at each other in confusion. What were they talking about? When had Casey ever played hockey? Casey once again began crying and Adam held her. _Oh, man. I wish she had gone to counseling after what happened_, he thought. She was crashing, he could tell.

"Man, she's even more temperamental than usual," Edwin muttered, resulting in Lizzie smacking him. Finally, she pulled away and wiped away her tears.

"Okay, you feelin' a bit better?"

"I guess."

"Good. Now, let's go ice your hand." She laughed ruefully.

"Yeah. I guess I still need to work on my anger, huh?" Adam chuckled and led her downstairs.

"How bad is it?" Nora wondered.

"Not broken," Casey shrugged.

"That doesn't tell me anything," Nora said.

"She probably shouldn't use it for a while," Adam told her. In the kitchen, Casey let Adam tend to her hand.

"So, have you talked to anyone…about what happened?" he questioned.

"No. They just recently found out that I used to play hockey," she answered as he finished.

"Case, you're crashing, if you don't talk to someone---" Adam began to say.

"What's there to talk about?" Casey interrupted. "It doesn't matter. I can't play anymore," she said. Adam sighed and his fingers through his hair.

"Casey, will you please talk to me? Please?" he pleaded.

"What's there to talk about, Coach? I lost hockey and I'll never get it back," she said.

"How 'bout we talk about the **way** you lost hockey?" he suggested.

"Talk? Talk about what, Coach? Talk about how some jerk bashed my knee in with a hockey stick?! And that when I tried to fight back, two of his teammates held me down and the ref didn't say **nothin**'!?" she exclaimed. "That it took me a whole year to even be able to walk properly?! Is that what you want me to talk about?!" she asked angrily. Derek's jaw dropped. _That happened to Casey? Man, how could anyone do that?_ he wondered.

"Whoa," Emily breathed in shock.

"Unbelievable," Derek said in the same tone.


	10. Casey Tells All

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Myrle 16: Yep. Thanks. Well, keep on reading.

Thugalet: Yep. Most definitely.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. Some concepts belong to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot.

After her outburst, Casey huffed and crossed her arms. Adam stared at her as Lucas finally came downstairs.

"Hey Pretty Girl, you okay?" he questioned.

"Yeah, I'm okay, Hot Boy," she assured.

"Hot Boy. Wow I missed that," he grinned.

"So, uh, you played hockey, huh?" George asked as Nora went to start dinner.

"Yes, Sir, I did," Casey answered.

"Yeah, she really flew," Adam said with a shake of his head.

"Yeah, from the time she was little, she was training very hard to get into the Good Will Games," Lucas added.

"And then she was attacked last year or something?" Derek questioned, recalling what she had shouted at the coach. Casey blew out a breath.

"It was the second to last game of the season; it was our team---the Cougars---against the Kings. It was the third period with at least five more minutes on the clock." As Casey talked, her mind flashed back to the game. _**Casey moved swiftly on the ice as the puck moved back and forth.**__**Lucas called for the puck.**__**After it was passed to him, he shot it to the other net. A member of the opposing team blocked it and started for the other side. **__**Casey stopped him and began to shoot. Suddenly, she felt something strike her knee. With a cry of pain, she fell to the ground. The hockey stick came down again and again.**__** Painfully, she began to climb to her feet only to be pinned down. She cried out in pain as the hockey stick was repeatedly slammed down on her knee. Then, without warning, the two players holding her were yanked back, and her attacker was shoved. Casey writhed on the floor, and moaned in pain. A whistle blew shrilly.**_

"_**Cougars! Intent to injure!" the referee shouted.**_

"_**You're **__**seriously**__** just now blowing the whistle?!" Greg snapped.**_

"_**Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Don't move. Just lay still, Pretty Girl," Lucas said, taking a knee and steadying her. **_

"_**Hurts," Casey whimpered.**_

"_**Yeah, I bet it does," Lucas sympathized,**__**smoothing back her hair. The team medics came out.**_

"_**All right. Let's get her on a stretcher. Easy now," one said. Carefully, they lifted her up and she was led out.**_

"_**You can expect a call from our lawyer," Charlie hissed at the referee. With that, the whole team headed out.**_

"When I got to the hospital, they told me that my knee had been **completely** shattered. And that I would never walk on it again," Casey finished.

"Man, that's brutal," Derek said.

"Did your coaches really sue?" Edwin asked.

"You can bet we did," Adam answered hotly. "She's violently attacked and they didn't even do anything until the team came to her defense."

"So, uh, the other day, when you were dancing---" Derek began.

"I overexerted my knee, yes," Casey finished.

"How does that happen exactly?" Edwin wondered.

"They did surgery on my knee and if I do anything too strenuous, the bones scrap together," Casey explained.

"That sounds painful," Marti noted.

"It **is**," Casey confirmed.

"But wait, you're on the cheer squad," Derek interjected.

"Yeah. How can you cheerlead if you have a bad knee?" Emily added. Lucas coughed, trying to hide a laugh.

"The cheer squad? Seriously?" he queried.

"Yes, seriously," Casey responded, fixing him with a look. Then, "In case you guys have forgotten, I don't ever do the more active moves."

"Well, yeah, that's true," Emily said.

"Wow. I guess that explains a lot," Derek commented. "I mean, how you've always been so touchy when it comes to hockey, why you only do slow dances, stuff like that," he continued.

"Yeah, well, what can I say? It hurts---knowing that I can never get it back," she admitted softly.

"I can't even imagine," he said with a shake of his head.

"Oh, by the way, for real this time, congratulations. It's a real honor to be on Team USA," she said.

"Thanks. I know."

"Okay, dinner's ready," Nora announced. "Adam, Emily, Lucas, are you guys staying?" she asked.

"Sure," Lucas and Adam chorused.

"No. It's meatloaf night," Emily answered, and then left as the others sat down at the table.

"Derek, I promise we'll go out for a proper celebration later in the week," Nora stated.

"Chillax. No big deal," Derek shrugged.

"Dude, it is **so** a big deal. Team USA. Oh, you've **gotta** intensify your training," Casey told him.

"Uh-oh. The Hammer's returning," Lucas joked with a laugh. "Dude, be afraid. Be very afraid."

"What? Of Space-Case? Yeah, right."

"No, he's right. Casey was a bear when she was in training." They continued to talk. As they did so, Casey put her hand under the table and Lucas did the same, and they intertwined their fingers. The two smiled at each other as they listened to the chatter of the family.


	11. Game

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Thugalet: Yeah, I guess they do, huh? That's not happening in this story, but if you wanna give it a go, go ahead.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. Some concepts belong to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot. I skipped to the next morning to get the chapter flowing and will be skipping forward several weeks for that exact reason. I know things are rushed, but I wanted to finish this fic before I leave for school in a few days.

Derek moaned as his alarm went off. _What time is it?_ he wondered. He cracked open an eyelid.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me," he said.

"Derek, come on. Get up," a voice urged.

"Casey, in case you haven't noticed, it's six in the morning. I'm going back to sleep," he stated.

"Get up. You've got training," his stepsister insisted. With a groan and grumble, he did what he was told. _She's crazy_, he thought to himself as he got into his gear. When he finally looked at his stepsister, he was surprised to see her in her own hockey uniform.

"Come on. I'll take you to the rink," she said.

"What about Dad and Nora?"

"I've already left a note on the fridge." They left. Once at the rink, Casey led Derek into a set of drills, being careful not to overexert herself. After drills, she led him through different game plans and different ways to play defensively and offensively. When they were finally finished, it was several hours later and they had been joined by other people.

"Man, you're a bear," Derek panted, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"That's part of the reason they called me 'the Hammer', Derek," Casey chuckled.

"Yeah?" Derek asked.

"Yeah," Casey nodded. Then, "Okay, we'll grab something to eat and then get back to it." Derek rolled his eyes, but silently agreed. They took off and after a quick meal, headed for the school's ice rink, where Casey took her place in front of one of the nets. Derek made a shot and Casey quickly blocked it. This routine continued for several weeks. Casey would wake Derek up at six and they would go train.

"So, why are you doing this?" Derek wondered during one of their breaks.

"If I can't play on the team, the least I can do is get you ready," Casey responded.

"You really wanted to play, didn't you?" Derek questioned.

"Yeah. I did. I still do," Casey answered. "But this is better than nothing," she added.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry," he told her sincerely.

"Thanks," she responded. Then, "All right. Enough of this mushy stuff. Let's get back to work." Derek groaned, but did as he was told. Along with the private training sessions, Derek also worked along with the team that Adam and Charlie had gathered.

"So, when's our first game?" Derek asked Lucas as they practiced.

"In a few weeks," Lucas responded. "And let me guess: Casey hasn't let up one bit," he added.

"Nope," came the answer.

"That's my girl," he chuckled.

"Speaking of, guess who's watching us?" Holly asked. They turned to see the girl. Lucas grinned and waved.

"Hey, Roe! Get your head out of the clouds and back in the game!" Charlie shouted playfully. Lucas and Casey shared an eye roll as the practice continued. When the first game day finally arrived, it was hard to tell who was more excited: Derek or Casey.

"Come on, come on, come! Let's go! Let's go!" Casey exclaimed. George laughed as they all continued to get ready. When their preparations were complete, they all went to the school where a bus was waiting. Once at the destination, the team went to the part of the rink where the players sat when they weren't on the ice. Soon the game got underway. The MacDonald/Venturi household clapped and cheered.

"Come on, Derek!" Edwin called.

"Let's go, you guys!" Casey added. Within minutes, the game had intensified and Casey found herself tuning out the crowd and just focusing on the players. _Come on, you guys_, she thought anxiously. The periods went by quickly and Casey began acting more and more nervous.

"Will you relax?" Lizzie asked.

"Yeah, you're acting as if **you**'**re** the one playing," Edwin added. Casey didn't answer, just motioned for them to be quiet. By the last period, the Cougars were in the lead by five points. After making a successful shot, Lucas looked at Casey and gave her a nod. She looked at him and smirked, while raising an eyebrow. Seeing this, Holly and Greg looked at each other.

"Oooh, la-la," they chorused.

"Grow up," a boy said. Minutes later, the Cougars made the winning shot. The rink exploded in cheers.

"Cougars win! Cougars win! Cougars win! Cougars win!" As family and friends rushed to the players, Casey and Lucas made their way to each other.

"Way to go, Boyfriend!" Casey told him.

"Thanks, Pretty Girl," Lucas grinned. They kissed. Lucas looped his fingers into Casey's hair as she pressed against him and moaned.

"Hey Hot Boy, what do you say we go somewhere a bit more private?" she whispered seductively.

"Sounds good to me, Girlfriend," he agreed. They stumbled off, and ducked into a secluded corner. Casey pushed Lucas against the wall, and he pulled her close. Her fingers caressed the back collar of his jersey. He moaned.

"Best…game…ever."

"Oh, yeah."

THE END


End file.
